Nissan Pulls Nearly 4,000 New Leaf EVs After Magazine Catches Child Seat Belt Issue

Nissan is recalling roughly 3,900 of its 2026 Leaf electric vehicles following a safety discovery made by Consumer Reports. The magazine’s testers found that the car’s rear seat belt system could fail to properly secure an infant car seat, raising immediate concerns for families with small children.

The recall affects only the newest model year of the Leaf, which Nissan had just begun selling.

The problem centers on the way the rear seat belts lock when used with a child restraint. According to documents filed with federal safety regulators, the belt’s locking mechanism may not engage as designed, allowing the car seat to shift more than intended during a sudden stop or crash.

Consumer Reports alerted Nissan after its own routine testing uncovered the flaw. The automaker says it is not aware of any accidents or injuries tied to the issue, but is moving ahead with a fix out of caution.

Nissan will notify affected owners starting next month, asking them to bring their Leafs to a dealership for a free repair. Technicians will inspect and, if needed, replace the rear seat belt assemblies. In the meantime, owners of the 2026 Leaf can check their vehicle identification number on Nissan’s recall website to see if their car is included.

The recall underscores how third-party testers can catch problems that automakers miss during development.